Water cistern



March 3, 1936. J BLAKE 2,032,973

WATER CISTERN Filed March 27, 1935 Jase 2% 51a Zn? INVENTOR ATTORN EYPatented Mar. 3, 1936 1 Claim.

The invention relates to a water cistern and more especially to a waterdiverting system for cisterns.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus ofthis character, wherein rain water initially falling upon a roof will becaught in a trap and thereafter automatically diverted for fiow into acistern, in that the initial rain water may be impure or dirty due tocontact with the roof of a building and thus in this manner the waterflowing into the cistern will be clean and pure.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of thischaracter, wherein a valve is located in a down pipe from the gutter ofa roof of a building and is automatically controlled by the flow of rainwater so that such rain water initially falling upon the roof can beoperated from the continued flow of rain Water and the latter divertedinto a cistern, the apparatus being novel in construction and isentirely automatic in the working thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus ofthis character, which is extremely simple in construction, thoroughlyreliable and efiicient in its operation, possessing but few parts,durable, and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thefeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention andpointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a front elevation partly broken away of the apparatusconstructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through thevalve.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates a portion of a downpipe from the gutter for a roof of a building and is of conventionalkind while at the lower end of this pipe is a two-way elbow, the waysbeing indicated at I0 and II, respectively, and the way Ill opens into atank l2 through the top thereof while the way II communicates with alead pipe I3 opening into a cistern beneath ground (not shown).

Fitted within the pipe A at the communication of the ways II! and IItherewith is a swinging valve I4 which when in one position directs theflow through the pipe A into the tank I2 and in the other position thefiow is through 6 the lead I3 into the cistern. The turning pivot oraxle l5 for the valve I4 externally of the pipe A has fixed thereto alever or arm IS with which is connected a coiled retractile ortensioning spring H the same being suspended from a bracket I8 fittedwith the pipe A above the valve It. This spring I! normally holds thevalve in a position to direct the fiow ofwater within the pipe A intothe tank I2.

Connected with the lever I6 by a suspension 15 link I9 is a water bucket20 and this bucket is adapted to be filled with water from a dischargespout 2| leading from the tank I2 at one side thereof near its top sothat when the tank I2 is filled with water at a predetermined leveltherein the overflow of such water will be discharged through the spout2| to be caught in the bucket 20. When the bucket 20 contains water of adetermined quantity it causes the lever It to be lowered for theautomatic shifting of 25 the valve It to the position to shut off theway Ill and thus stop the fiow of water into the tank and diverting suchflow through the lead l3 into the cistern.

The lever I6 also has connected therewith a 30 link 22 operating acut-off valve 23 within the spout 2| and this valve 23 is closed whenthe valve I I is moved to a position to shut off the flow to the tank l2for the closing of the spout 2| for preventing further fiow of waterfrom the 35 tank I2 into the bucket 20. The valves I4 and 23 operatesimultaneously with each other.

The rain water initially falling upon a roof will flow from pipe Adirectly into the tank I2 until the bucket 20 shifts by the How of water40 from the tank I2 thereinto whence the rain water flowing in the pipeA will be diverted from the said tank I2 into the cistern through thelead I3 thereto.

The bucket 2|] is readily detachable from the 45 link I9 for theemptying of the contents thereof at the will of the user of theapparatus.

The tank has fitted therewith at its lower end a drain faucet or spigot24.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a down pipe from a roof gutter, of a two-way elbowcommunicating with said pipe, a tank having one way of said elbowopening through the top thereof, a lead pipe opening into a cistern andcommunicating with 55 the other way of said elbow, a swinging valvewithin the elbow for diverting liquid to either way thereof, a leveroperating said valve and arranged exteriorly of the elbow, a coiledtensioning spring connected with the down pipe above the lever and alsoconnected with the latter, a suspension link connected with the lever, abucket removably carried by said link, an overflow spout leading fromthe tank for communication with the said bucket, and a cutoff valvearranged within the spout and having connection with the lever for theautomatic closing of said spout when the valve in the elbow will shut 5ofi flow to the tank.

JOSEPH BLAKE.

